Source: St Albans City and District
Publication date:
A refuse collection crew’s prompt action helped to prevent a fire caused by a battery placed in a waste bin from getting out of control.
The Veolia crew spotted smoke pouring out of the rear of their 26-tonne lorry after emptying residual waste bins in Batford, Harpenden.
They safely ejected the smouldering rubbish onto the road at Common Lane while warning motorists and pedestrians to stay clear.
The crew alerted Hertfordshire Fire Service with a fire engine arriving within four minutes to extinguish the blaze.
It is believed the cause was a battery within electrical equipment which had been disposed of incorrectly in a household waste bin.
Lithium-ion batteries are a major waste disposal hazard as they can spark a fire when crushed by a bin lorry’s compactor or blades.
Veolia, St Albans City and District Council’s waste contractor, is campaigning to raise awareness of the issue.
Improperly discarded batteries cause approximately one fire a day across all Veolia’s operations.
Recently, one collection crew working in St Albans spotted a large motorbike battery in a bin before it was emptied into their lorry.
Lawrence Foley, Contract Manager at Veolia St Albans, said of the Batford incident:
Thanks to the quick actions of our crew and the Hertfordshire Fire Service, the fire that broke out in the back of the collection vehicle caused no injuries.
However, this incident is a reminder of the dangers that our people face on a daily basis as a result of items like batteries being disposed of in household bins.
We urge residents to visit the St Albans Council website to check how to safely dispose of items before putting them in their household bins. Small actions like carefully separating waste can have a huge impact on our people and the essential services they deliver.
Councillor Edgar Hill, the Council’s Lead for Waste and Recycling, said:
We are grateful to the Veolia crew for acting quickly to prevent a major fire.
This is a striking example of the serious dangers posed by discarded batteries which can nowadays be found in all sorts of personal and household items including vapes and toys.
We ask all our residents to follow the guidelines for recycling and waste disposal which can be found on our website to prevent any further incidents.
The lorry fire occurred on Tuesday 21 July with the rubbish being cleared from Common Lane by Veolia once the fire was extinguished.
Veolia carry out weekly kerbside collections in the District of small electricals and batteries which residents should bag and leave beside their bins or containers on collection days.
Alternatively, batteries can be taken to household recycling centres or to disposal points at supermarkets and other stores. On no account should they be discarded in a waste or recycling bin.
More information about how to properly dispose of batteries and electrical items can be found here: https://www.veolia.co.uk/dangerous-waste
Information about the Council’s waste and recycling services is available here: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/recycling-and-rubbish
Photo: smouldering rubbish after being ejected from a bin collection truck in Common Lane, Harpenden.
Media Contacts: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/news-and-whats